ATA Petitions For 68 MPH Limit In New Trucks
A majority of ATA members, including many of the nation's largest fleets, believe that the speed limit will improve safety and the industry's public image.
Oliver B.Patton
Washington Editor
The American Trucking Associations has asked the federal government to require that all new heavy-duty trucks be governed to a maximum speed of 68 mph.
The association asked the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which regulates truck equipment, to require manufacturers to program the 68 mph ceiling into electronic control modules and make sure the ECMs are tamper-proof. The requirement would apply to all new trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating above 26,000 pounds. At the same time, ATA asked the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to penalize anyone who tampers with the ECM to get more speed.
A majority of ATA members, including many of the nation's largest fleets, believe that the speed limit will improve safety and the industry's public image.
"For the sake of safety, there is a need to slow down all traffic," said ATA President and CEO Bill Graves. "The trucking industry is trying to do its part with this initiative. No vehicle should be capable of operating at excessive speeds."
Pat Quinn, chairman of ATA and co-chairman of U.S. Xpress Enterprises, said U.S. Xpress has about 7,500 tractors all governed at 68 mph. "Responsible carriers recognize that speed is the number one killer – this is our effort to address that and get all of the trucking community behind it," he said.
The ATA leaders recognized, however, that they are not likely to get all of the community on their side.
"This will not be popular," said the late Mac McCormick, vice chairman of ATA and chairman and CEO of Best Way Express. "We will take flak from our membership, but it's the right thing to do."
McCormick died Oct. 26 – six days after this announcement – as he was trying to land his plane near Lawrenceville, Ill., in bad weather.
Reaction from a leading driver interest group to the speed limit was sharply negative. "We think that's mostly public relations," said Todd Spencer, executive vice president of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association.
"We think the speed limiter in the truck is a properly trained driver," Spencer said. "Drivers on the road will experience times when they need to be able to speed up to get out of somebody's way or go around someone. That's the operating environment for a driver."
If the safety agencies post the ATA petition for comment, OOIDA will file in opposition, Spencer said. "Speed as a factor in accidents is not driving too fast, per se, but driving too fast for conditions," he said. "That has nothing to do with top speed."
ATA, in its petition, acknowledged that in many speed-related accidents, the truck was not going more than 68 mph. But the association contends that there are a significant number of fatal crashes, and many non-fatal crashes, in which high speed is a factor.
"We found that in 20 percent of truck-involved fatal crashes where speeding on the part of the truck driver was cited as a factor in the crash, and the truck's speed was recorded, the speed of the truck exceeded 68 mph," ATA said.
Further, ATA argued, research shows that as speed goes up the severity of a crash goes up as well.
ATA also said that since all heavy-duty trucks already have ECMs, the rule would not impose any significant new costs. The association acknowledged that some fleets might be forced to a lower average speed, which could lead to a loss of income. But, ATA continued, lower speed uses less fuel, saves equipment wear and tear and leads to fewer accidents. And, Mac McCormick added, the competitive advantage some gain from excessive speed comes at the public's expense.
In any event, ATA said, it expects that because of the driver shortage, fleets will compensate drivers for a loss of income caused by slower speed.
Under federal rules, the agencies may not say whether or not they will propose the rules. FMCSA chief John Hill did say, though, that the agency is looking for any ideas that reduce highway deaths. "This petition will be thoroughly examined for both its potential benefits and its cost, and we will make a determination whether to proceed to rulemaking or not," he said.
Washington Report continued...
